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Since the hormones decided to turn the natural night owl that I was before into someone who can't even find sleep once the sun sets I might as well do something a bit more productive of my extra wake time than simply tossing and turning and loosing my marbles.

Tonight, my mission seems to be to make other night creatures' life miserable. Until now I thought that the title of "creation's aberration" belonged to mosquitoes for robbing me further of shut eye time, but tonight I remembered that another 6 legged horror deserved this one as well : the cockroach!They are huge, ugly, dirty, crawl way too fast not to be creepy, and seem to carry a global invasion plan every monsoon. They feast on god knows what as soon as the night gets thick and you can spend months not knowing your kitchen has been claimed if you are a normal human being who sleeps 8 to 10 hours and do not need to visit the fridge, or water bottles on the way back from each bathroom trips. When you notice them, it means that the invasion has already gone out of hand. Enters Cyn the exterminator and her trusted slipper! I killed them before and have no mercy for them, I spotted a few last few last week already, and got to work, thinking I was done, but tonight around midnight when I was ready to give snoozing a chance, one of these creepy crawlies nearly gave me a heart attack when I was trying to fill the bedside bottle I keep in order to minimise the nocturnal tours of my apartments. I was quick to draw the pesticide spray out and started "pfffffffting" around angrily after seeing another of the intruder in my saucepans. In matter of seconds I had 3 big ones out agonizing on my kitchen floor and a whole lot of smaller one zooming around, so I sprayed some more, and thankfully me having sharp senses I heard some twitching in a cardboard box, and my stock of paper bags so I sprayed these two spots heavily, squashed a few juniors for good measures, caught a 4th big one, and told DH that our Sunday activity was now decided : cleaning the kitchen and getting rid of the bugs. Satisfied by my killing spree, I go back to doing what I planned : sleep. That was until about 30 minutes ago, when in my trademark light sleep stage I felt something tickling on my shoulder and proceeded to brush it off only to have my finger meet something that feel like bad news, and goes off my shoulder and crash on the floor with a familiar...too familiar noise, in a flash I'm wide awake and see that what decided to disturb me was another big cockroach, it takes 3 second more for me to switch on the light, find a slipper and squash it. And 5 more to rush to the kitchen to see what my bug spray didn't get and kill 5 more adults there and quite a few small ones as well.Two thing crossed my mind then, first I had a flashback from the first night in my first residence in Bangalore (barely 2 weeks after coming to India) where I had to deal with a much much bigger army. Then the second thought was for mother nature for allowing such a stupid, disgusting creature to even exist, clearly humans aren't supposed to be cockroaches natural predator, and whoever feeds on them lower in the food chain must be able to survive on something else as well, so why on Earth would they even exist? I am arachnophobic, hate spiders but understand that they do their part at controlling the mosquito and fly population, so when I see one even if I could kill it (not easy when you are frozen in fear) I don't think I would. I gratefully leave lizards be in my place because they control the insect population too, but what does a big brown ugly cockroach do? Apart from procreating in dark damp corners of kitchens and sometimes even finding their way in dried food stuff such as flour, rice and lentils? I haven't found a logical explanation for their existence yet, their sole purpose in life being in my eyes to fulfil the role of number one household pest and now making me even less keen on trying to give sleep another chance, and when I think that in some region of the globes some people eat them and buy them roasted claiming they are yummy snacks, you got to be kidding me! And don't get me started on those who see them as pets and embellish them with swarovsky crystals and put a tiny leash on them.

And now we are all waiting for the show. According to most books, my OB, and about everybody in the know, once you pass the 37 weeks marker, baby can safely make their big entrance anytime, and I'm about ready for that. The essentials have been purchased (and I'll have to reflect on the cost of bringing a new life in the world one day), I completed my antenatal program (and the last 2 sessions lived to their expectation and more), I now know more or less what to expect of Manipal hospital and delivering a baby there, in theory, I know what will relieve pain or how to cope with it. And I just rationally decided that I would try not to let little details of the birth process bug me and do just as the physiotherapist in the course said: "Go with the flow".As of now I feel like I did when being backstage in my acting days, right behind the curtain, hearing the crowd in the theater and let their quiet anticipation fuel me up for the show to come, knowing that I'm as ready as can be but still wondering what the evening will have in store for me. Except this time, I have no crowd to spy on from behind a curtain, I have props screaming parenthood all over my apartments reminding me that this is it, the next chapter of my life is just about to begin. According to the plan, there is just 3 weeks to go.

In the history of commercials done to promote deodorant or perfume, Axe is probably the only one who found the right formula by not only selling the product to the obvious consumer : men, but also to their significant other or potential partners.

Yes I'm a woman and not ashamed to admit that each time they come with a new fragrance and therefore commercial I'm wondering what that deodorant might smell like and would probably as tempted as a guy to buy it out of curiosity. And I think the way the commercials are made are pure genius, first the guys aren't necessarily the picture perfect sex symbol, in fact in most of their commercial, they look more like the cute guy next door, a bit geek-ish sometimes, and definitely average looking with nothing too memorable about them. The message here is clear: "Hey you common Joe, we are talking to YOU". Ditto with the ladies in the add, they look nice have perfect figures, but aren't over the top sexy and not vulgar as it it the case in a few other commercials selling the same type of products. which to the man will mean that with axe he will get to attract the average cute looking gal as well. To ladies watching the ad, well the message is also quite clear "Get Axe for your guy and you'll get to sexify him a bit more". If this isn't brilliant what is?

Yet a few months back a friend of mine told me that when the "Axe Temptation" commercial (the one with the chocolate guy) went out in France they banned it after a while, the reason? Adds in which loads of women are going numb to their knees for a guy is degrading to women! The feminists have spoken, the axe falls.The whole issue went in the back of my mind as I found it utterly ridiculous then, but an article about women in India in the newspaper this morning and a blurb about women in commercials, that combined with the showing of the Axe temptation commercial on TV had refreshed the topic in my memory and here is what I have to say:"When will women get to ever win"? Because if we are ogled at, whistled at, in real life or in a movie, or an ad for that matter, it is considered eve teasing and degrading to women as they inevitably fall in the pretty thing with no brain category while the man gets all the pleasure and glory. And if there is a media daring reversing the roles and putting the lady in the whistling, ogling boy crazy position, it is considered degrading because they are "lowering" themselves to a man's level, man who will again be put in the good position as the one getting the pleasure out of it. Give me a break! But yet it seems hard core feminist would rather see the men-woman interaction thing completely brushed aside. Yet their targets are medias in which women are or belittled by a guy or have desires for the opposite sex. But so far nothing wrong with a commercial showing ladies dancing and grinning holding boxes of laundry detergent and white linen, or woman going out of their way buying a better cooking oil to continue preparing fatty food for their plump husband deluding themselves into thinking that the new oil is better and that they have their sweeter's half interest at heart while keeping them healthier? I haven't heard any bashing of such commercials the way lingerie and cosmetic ads are commonly criticized, be it in India, or abroad.

And if the feminists idea of the ideal woman is one that looks average, steer clear of the chromosome XY gender without any lusty desire for it, is pictured as a dominatrix, power hungry, household goddess/ruthless corporate, leading a double life of perfect boss and perfect wife...PLEASE turn me into a guy this instant, because clearly my kind has lost its mind and is seriously focusing on the wrong issues!

Another Saturday, another class, this time it was the one about introduction to pregnancy and labor given by the head physiotherapist and the one partners are to attend as well.

Being at 35+ weeks I of course experienced most the symptoms so there wasn't anything new to me, plus I also read quite a few website articles and book to know more or less what to expect, DH though learned a few things since he doesn't have the time to read much about the labour part. I would say this is a very smart class to have for husbands to get familiar with the whole process as I suspect that for most that is the place they will get the most information about their wives pregnancy and what to expect. The Dr also showed us a few simple exercise and stretching moves to alleviate the common muscle, joint and tendons pains we are or will all experience (some of the ladies where in their 25th or so weeks) and I found that very interesting since I'm a visual person and need to see the moves and positions to get them, not read about them and have an obscure doodle to illustrate it, though I must say it seems I'm getting heavier by the day and relief is starting to become hard to come by, but still her showing us the sleeping positions and how to support ourselves lying down actually helped me grasp the concept better and when applied at home I did sleep a tad better than before.

Next week we are having the class I'm most looking forward to : the Lamaze exercises and again the partner has to be there since they are to be involved during labour and play an active part, to be able to give us more individual attention and because the room is small she cut the class into 2 groups and I'll be attending the morning session. Now I just hope I'll get over my cold, because for the past 2 days I'm having a nasty cough, I think the monsoon did it again, as I manage to fall sick every year as soon as the mercury drops. This weekend was the first since early January having me look for a long sleeve t-shirt, and even some socks!

A question that I heard a bit too many time since breaking the new that I'm pregnant, a question that is probably on the lips of many who don't dare asking it, and a question that has me wanting to roll my eyes. A question I heard only from the people I know in India.

The last one in the serie was from a lady at a language academy I work with as a translator and occasionally teacher. Not that it's the first time I'm asked by her. But with my due date coming she had to ask again, told her my husband was around, but she asked if my family was there, told her that my in-laws will come in July around the due date and that is when she asked the "But are you able to manage all by yourself?" yet again. My oh my oh my! What is so challenging that a woman can't just be by "herself"? Not that it is even the case since DH is here and does his fare share of housekeeping. Are really pregnant women supposed to be disabled, bed ridden as their tummy swell and considered practically invalid, justifying a small crew of family member to flock in and take over the household?

I really do not see myself in the role of the damsel in distress just because I packed a few pounds, can't see my feet and need to mind my back as my body copes with the clear unbalance of bearing a child, as far as I know if women weren't able to do move around they sure wouldn't be the one getting pregnant nature would not have intended it that way. Sure squatting down to pick up things on the ground is tough, so much that if I can avoid it I won't do it, but if it has to be done I sure won't shy away from it, and heck doesn't matter if it takes me twice as long to stand erect again (and a few grunts to get me going). Of course cooking is hard mostly because my kitchen has apparently been designed with a dwarf in mind and the counter has always been too low, now with the extra weight in the front it can be painful to chop veggies for too long, but that's what food processors are for, and fridge and freezer and microwave, so that I can cook in bulk, and reheat sparing myself the daily ordeal. And quite obviously I would not go on about doing stuff I was doing before getting pregnant the same way, I reset my priorities long time back, the point is I'm managing just fine, differently but fine.And thankfully my doctor thinks I'm doing great too, not too much weight gained, just the right amount, no health problem, no complications, nothing that warrants a bed rest and confinement. So all in all no reason to not be able to manage going on with my life, with minor adjustments of course (and a good dose of sheer common sense).

The mystery remain as why the people around me seem to think I should be doing what I do "alone" and I swear if one person ask this question again, I will ask why they think so because that sure baffles me.

Last Saturday was the first of the 4 classes organized by Manipal hospital for pregnant women. My OB recommended this one when I asked for Lamaze classes.

Well the first class I attended was about nutrition and pregnancy followed by one hour of yoga. Not exactly the part of the whole course I was the most interested in since I'm now in my 35th week of pregnancy, but even then I must admit that considering there was one hour of diet recommendation and one hour of yoga they did go straight at the essential a pregnant woman should know. The nutrition session was given by a dietitian, and explained when the baby grows the most and how much food is actually needed, kicking the big fat myth that a woman has to eat for two right in the but, and also reminding us that this is not an excuse to indulge in more fried food, more sweets and the like, but keep a balanced diet, and ended the session answering questions, I had none, but some of the other ladies brought the traditional Indian myth of nutrition during pregnancy including the prohibition by their families to eat papaya, pineapple and even mango, which again is all myth and in fact depriving the body of a wide variety of food simply on the say of an old wive tale will deprive the body of essential nutrients in the process. All in all a well put together class, that should be in my opinion conducted as soon as a woman knows she is pregnant.The yoga class was very brief, as it was just an introduction (women interested in prenatal yoga can sign up for a more complete antenatal yoga class), we did only a few breathing exercises, which I was already quite familiar with from all the yoga classes I took back in Switzerland, the instructor wasn't very fluent in English and a bit over enthusiastic to my taste but still a very nice lady, what was very interesting in that class is that despite my knowing those breathing exercises, I found out that doing them while heavily pregnant is a bit challenging the body do not react the same, now the trick would be for me to do them regularly.

Next Saturday is the introduction to pregnancy, and delivery class, and this is the class along with the next one that the head physiotherapist said is not only for pregnant women but expectant father as well, so DH will tag along. The one in 2 weeks is the one that is purely about Lamaze and is also the longest of all the session, that is the one I'm most look forward to as my due date is fast approaching. Then I will conclude the whole program with a breastfeeding and postnatal fitness class which I also think is a very nice addition to the antenatal course they offer.

So far from the things I saw in Manipal hospital things seem to be handled efficiently and professionally, not like my experience in Wockhartd, they are probably as costly though did cut the crap of making the place look dead posh and fancy keeping it looking like what it should look in the first place: A hospital. I must say that so far it is a huge relief for me.

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